Exterior awnings to be mounted on or in a facade or a wall of a building or on a vehicle are generally known per se in the art. Such awnings can essentially be subdivided into the so-called dome awnings, whose sunshade means take the shape of a domed covering in use, awnings of the extension arm or retractable type, which comprise a canvas or a screen which extends in a substantially flat orientation with respect to the facade or wall on which the awning is mounted, and foldable or slidable awnings. Not only the distance over which the canvas or the screen extends from the wall, but also the angle at which the canvas or the screen is oriented with respect to the wall can be varied in some types of awnings.
Awnings are generally mounted above a window, a sliding patio door or the like in a facade or a wall of a building or on a vehicle so as to keep out direct sunlight as much as possible. In particular in the case of retractable awnings that stretch out relatively far and dome awnings, the temperature of the air under the sunshade means can reach unpleasant levels, because heated air remains trapped under the awning, in particular when there is hardly any wind or no wind at all. As a result, staying under such an awning may not be very pleasant, for example on days with a lot of sunshine.
This is disadvantageous in particular in the case of catering establishments, which have created an outdoor cafe with seating under the awning, where people can consume food products or beverages in the shade. The same drawback applies also to patios of private houses or other places screened by such an awning.
In addition to a temperature increase of the air, dust particles, pollen and other particles suspended in the air may accumulate under the awning, not least insects and the like. For people who suffer from hay fever, for example, staying under an awning may be far from pleasant in such a situation.
German utility model application DE 299 13 873 discloses an awning of the type mentioned in the preamble, wherein beneath the canvas or screen dispensers are mounted, inter alia comprising liquid for moisturing the air in the space under the canvas or screen. The dispensers in the form of containers of limited volume, are visible from the space beneath the screen or canvas and need to be separately mounted to the frame of the awning.